Tag: Lebanon

The new kid in town. Bistr’eau. This place holds a very special place to my heart as it is my husband’s hard earned success. If you’ve been following us for a while, you know my husband Jean (initially an electrical engineer and financial consultant) is a food lover and amateur Chef. His dream for the past few years was to have that restaurant where he would go crazy and work on his passion. This summer, he found it. Continue Reading “Bistr’eau Batroun”

I’ve always been a fan of the supermarket. Ever since I was a child, a trip to buy groceries and roaming around a huge supermarket has always been fun and kind of comforting. I especially love it when I’m in no hurry and have no list to stick to. We just walk around, inspecting aisle after aisle till we find something we need, discover a new product or even welcome products that we’d only seen abroad. Continue Reading “Supermarket at your door – Spinneys Delivery”

I’ve always admired people who make it a life purpose to help others, especially children. What we think only happens in movies is actually drawn from reality. Child abuse, be it physical or emotional, is a harsh part of reality. In a society governed by taboo, shame and guilt, it is even harder for kids to ask for help when abused by a parent.

Among the many NGOs we have here in Lebanon, I think that Himaya stands out. It might be because I am aware of their activities more than others’ or because I know a few people who work there, but I hold their cause close to my heart because it helps vulnerable children.

Children are truth and life. They are our hope that the future can be better. They hold the key to hard-to-find solutions in their bright minds full of creativity.

April is the month of child abuse prevention. I thought it would be great to highlight what Himaya does especially that foodies can help them make a change.

Their ongoing campaign this April is all about raising awareness and trying to erase the taboo. If you’ve noticed the “Ma tkhabe, khaber” billboards all over Lebanon and heard about their game on Virgin Radio, you must be aware of the efforts Himaya makes to spread the word.

Also, they have partnered up with Divvy for the #DVhimayaSlide challenge. Basically, people head to Divvy’s branch at The Village in Dbayeh, upload a video of them on their slide with the hashtag. For every video upload, Divvy will donate $1 to the cause Himaya strongly supports.

There are many other ways people can contribute in general. Mainly:

– You can volunteer with Himaya
– You can purchase Himaya products available on Lebelik

– You can attend their events
– You can sponsor the children of their Resilience Center through their Sponsor a Child Program

– You can donate through their website

– You can order the himaya items on the menus of their foodies4change partners; with every order of those items 1,000 LBP is donated to himaya

– You can spread the word, share their posts and just help them raise awareness

There will never be enough words to praise the work people at Himaya do, but I hope I at least influenced some of you to spread the word!

Check their website www.himaya.org for all the details you might need to help!

When we need an escape from our routine and a change of scenery, we immediately plan a trip to explore a new country. Yet, we more often than not stop right in the middle of that booking because we think twice about the budget.

What we rarely think of is a weekend away in our own country that has many places left to explore. Places you never thought existed a few kilometers away.

Last weekend, the lovely people of Via Mina Hotel in Tripoli, invited us over for a relaxing stay. Believe me when I tell you I woke up on Sunday morning not sure of where in the world I was. The old souks of Tripoli are the miniature reproduction of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. The pubs we visited at night were the reflection of Rome’s laid-back Trastevere. The streets around Al Mina region resemble the Old Croatian towns. This can give you a clear picture of the mixed feelings you get during your two-day stay.

That weekend was a huge eye-opener on the possibility of things to do in Lebanon. Here’s what you can do during a weekend in Tripoli.

Where to Stay:

Via Mina Hotel. This refreshing and cozy Bed & Breakfast is all you need to relax and unwind away from work and busy Beirut. What was an old inhabited house became the coziest place to stay. Just that smell of organic green tea soap gives your mind peace the entire time.

What to do:

Visit the souks in the center of Tripoli. You’ll get the same experience as visiting the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul if you’ve been. Make sure you go to “Khan el Saboun” (i.e. the soap market), where you’ll find loads of organic soaps.

Take a walk along the Mina. If you’re staying at the Via Mina Hotel, the Mina is a three-minute walk away. If you’re an early riser, you can visit the fish market where people place bids on the freshest fish. You can also walk around the Mino area in the morning and witness fresh bread-making, live foul and hommos cooking and a joyful atmosphere.

In the evening, there are pubs two minutes away from the hotel. Timmy’s is one of the crowdiest. Its architecture is also something you don’t see every day.

If you’re craving for a nice seafood meal, Borj El Samak (which is right next to Via Mina) is a good choice.

Lately, I’ve been pessimistic about Lebanon and long to travel the world. The most important lesson I learnt that weekend is to never make up your mind about something before you experience it yourself. We all have our made-up ideas about certain places and it’s easy to get influenced by the media, our parents’ anxieties, and even our own stubbornness. But I promise myself, here and now, to be more positive and appreciate what we have.

BDL Accelerate 2015 will gather entrepreneurs, investors, and support institutions from key emerging startup ecosystems across 5 continents. BDL Accelerate 2015 will host 3,000 attendees, 100 speakers, 100 exhibitors, and 100 startups from around the world. BDL Accelerate 2015 be hosting 2 startup competitions, 2 workshop spaces and 2 hackathons. Hackathon is not a word one hears everyday but in the tech world it is not so foreign. A Hackathon is an event that provides space for creatives and tech-geeks to come together, form groups around a challenge or idea and collaboratively create unique solutions from scratch. The end result could be a website, mobile app or even a robot. BDL Accelerate 2015 is hosting two hackathons: a Wearables Hackathon Powered by DNY Group and a Web & Mobile Hackathon organized by MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab & WDS. Both will gather makers and builders from different backgrounds to collaboratively brainstorm and work extensively to find solutions to specific issues that are shared with them at the start of the Hackathon. Anyone is free to join the Hackathon competitions with no restrictions on age or years of experience. If you can code, design, or conceptualize ideas than Hackathon competitions are for you. Participants in the Wearables Hackathon will be working towards a hardware solution while the Web and Mobile Hackathon’s main output will be mobile or web based solutions. Participants of both hackathons will be provided with material and the machines to create along with know-how and mentorship all throughout the duration of the competitions. Applicants may apply as a team of 3-5 members; if an applicant doesn’t have a team he/she may apply as an individual and the organisers will assign the teams. Teams will pitch their solutions during the conference to a panel of judges on the 11th of December. Cash prizes are up for grabs. Winning Teams will win a 3,000$ cash prize, 1st Runner-Up Teams will win a 2,000$ cash prize and 2nd Runner-Up Teams will win a 1,000$ cash prize.

The Central Bank of Lebanon (Banque du Liban / BDL) is organizing Lebanon’s second annual international startup conference – BDL Accelerate 2015 – on Thursday and Friday, the 10th and 11th of December 2015 at Forum de Beyrouth.

There will be 2 stages at the conference, one of which will be dedicated to panels, keynotes, and fireside chats as a space for 100 influential speakers from over 30 countries to share their best practices and exchange knowledge. The second stage will be dedicated to the startup pitches as part of the two competitions BDL Accelerate 2015: Idea Stage Competition and Early Stage Competition.

Last year’s speakers included Alexander Asseily, co-founder of Jaw Bone, named the 33rd most influential person in Silicon Valley, and Ramzi Rizk, co-founder of EyeEm, a Berlin-based photo-sharing social network akin to Instagram, that has recently raised $18 million in new venture funding. Participants had the chance to network with the speakers; international partnerships and employment opportunities naturally ensued. BDL Accelerate 2015 is hosting more than 100 influencers from all over the globe; the potential is limitless. Hurry up and register, capacity is limited.

Let’s start with what’s important. I love my country, despite its flaws. I chose to live here and no one forced me to do so. I love its warmth, its people and everything truly feels like home. I won’t lie; there are times all I wish for is to pack my bags and move to a better place. Today is supposed to be one of those times, but it isn’t. I admit here and now that I’m confused. I’m scared of more rain – where instead of embracing the smell of the earth, we’ll be fighting for breath, I’m scared of History of diseases repeating itself, I’m scared of oh-so-many things but I’ll be fighting anxiety today, tomorrow and as long as it takes for us to retrieve even a tiny bit of our dignity. It is no longer a choice. Amidst the horror of what is going on, I still have hope for a better future. Some may think it is naïve, I think it is a start. We owe it to our ancestors whose Lebanon was heaven on earth, we owe it to ourselves whose Lebanon is too hard to let go, we owe it to our children whose Lebanon should be the best place to be.

To remind everyone why we’ll keep on fighting, and in light of this article, here are 20 things about Beirut.

1) How everything seems to function against all odds – yes, we do have uber, online shopping and food delivery at all times.

2) The familiarity – most of the time, people are willing to help, smile and ask about your day.

3) How the trends blend in with the old – the Mar Mikhael and Gemmayze neighborhoods are the perfect examples.

4) The sunsets.

5) Life at night – where all the city lights are on, people are out and it smells like happiness.

6) Cab drivers (although not all of them) – they have the best stories.

People who live in Beirut, and those of you who have visited, it would be awesome if you could post in the comment section below one thing you love about this city! That way, we can look at the full part of the glass 😉

I started off the month of august full of motivation and positivism, but I must admit, despite me being a generally positive person, it was the hardest month yet in 2015. Not only was the weather extremely not helpful, but sadly, our country is in the worst state it could ever be. We’ve been fighting for it in any way we can, but I still hope it will all magically disappear (please don’t judge me, I’m not that naive) and we’ll be able to really enjoy the smell of the first rain. August flew by really fast, so I’ll be keeping my previous bucket list and adding the following to it:

Discover new things in London. I’m leaving for London town at the end of the month and I’m planning on uncovering new cool places, so I’ll keep you posted!

Be more organized in terms of time management skills. I’m surely getting better but I’m working to achieve the best ever level of organization.

Online photography classes. I’ve registered to a new course so I’ll keep you posted on its quality and the things I learn.

Hike. I miss the smell of nature and the feeling you get after a long walk in the forest.

Enjoy the great mountain weather in September.

Go camping. We’re going in 2 weeks and I just can’t wait!

Experiment with sweet potatoes. I’ve been spotting a whole lot of sweet potato recipes lately and I’m hoping to try a few.

Remove artificial sugar from my life and vocabulary (except on birthdays and some afternoon teas 😉 )

Start reading again. I haven’t read a page of my book in August so I’d better get back to my favorite activity.

Care less – about being late, about pleasing everyone. It’s simply not possible.

Eat out for Life is a special and unique campaign, launched in 2011, whereby a percentage of the dining bills at the participating restaurants are donated to CCCL.

Just by visiting the participating restaurants during Eat Out for Life, you will be contributing to the treatment of a sick child at the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL): since a percentage of the bills will go to the CCCL.

CCCL is a regional center pioneering in the treatment of children with cancer. Thanks to their international affiliation with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee; and the rigorous research of their doctors and scientists at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), they have an average cure rate of 80% for their beloved kids! All children treated at the CCCL are treated free of charge, with no cost at all on their parents.

Never eat alone. Always share what you eat. There is no bigger pleasure in life than giving.

– Fadsfood

This week, Fadsfood’s picks are all about colorful summer dishes from around. Check out the 3 tempting picks, and follow Fadsfood on instagram for mouthwatering pictures and food inspiration: @fadsfood.

Never eat alone. Always share what you eat. There is no bigger pleasure in life than giving.

– Fadsfood

This week, Fadsfood’s picks are all about meat and the different delicious dishes made with a piece of beef. Check out the 3 tempting picks, and follow Fadsfood on instagram for mouthwatering pictures and food inspiration: @fadsfood.

Sunny weekends are still ahead of us and we’re all looking for creative things to do. One of my favorite places in Lebanon is Batroun. The beautiful scenery brings you back refreshed and ready for another busy week after the weekend. There are so many things to do there other than lying on the rocks and soaking up the sun. Be it during summer or on sunny winter weekends, Batroun and its surroundings is a great destination for all kinds of activities.

Here are some ideas around the region for weekends ahead. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone!

When I say Batroun, I’m also talking about its surrounding towns, like Tannourine, Chekka, Anfeh, Douma and others. So here goes:

1- Tannourine: Start with an early morning hike in the beautiful reserve. The Tannourine forest is actually the biggest one. It starts in the Batroun casa and ends in the Bechareh casa.

2- Saydet el nourieh: On your way down from Tannourine to the beach, pass by Saydet el Nouriyyeh for a spiritual hour and a breathtaking view on the shore.

3- Make sure to pass by ‘Helmeh’ for a nice and refreshing lemonade!

4- Visit Batroun’s old town, it’s beautiful and untouched.

5- You can now go lie down on the rocks and take a dip in the sea. There’s a lot of choice when it comes to which beach you can go to. You can choose between Bonita Bay, White Beach, and Pierre and Friends, or go to Joining beach or Dany’s Bar for a less mainstream experience and great fish.

6- Make sure you stay there till sunset, you won’t regret it a single minute. Those places are great for those who love fishing as well.

7- If you choose to sleep and spend the weekend there, two of the best places I’ve been to are Beit el Batroun and Mayouli. Beit el Batroun is simply the loveliest and most relaxing place. Mayouli is a bit different than Beit el Batroun as it’s more of an ecological place, with the freedom to have barbecues in a corner of the garden.

8- Go up to one of Batroun’s vineyards the next day for some wine tasting. Ixsir has the most magical setting, and Aurora is another great choice.

9- Have a late BBQ lunch on the rocks. You can find a lot of public beaches with clear blue water and settle there.

10- For a nice late afternoon drink, try Colonel Beer. The setting is relaxed and the beer is excellent!

There you go! A perfect weekend in Batroun 🙂 I’d love to hear about your suggestions!